My First Rescue Operation

A huge part of who we are today was built in our childhood. It was that magical time when our parents read fairy tales to us and we believed that something magical was awaiting us. The whole world seemed to be full of exciting mysteries and even our own neighborhood held its many secrets hidden from the eyes of adults.One of them was a huge puddle of mudd right in front of the four storey building where I was raised. I was just 8 years old when this story happened. Usually spring rain would create many small puddles that were of no interest to us kids whatsoever yet once severe rain created an “enormous” puddle of mudd. In fact, it was just the size of two cars but to us it was a lake that was definitely preparing an adventure or at least a “sea monster” for us…We were not too far off as soon we noticed some green substance on the top of the puddle and some time after the first baby tadpoles were happily discovered. They were little black eenergetical creatures and the first “sea animal” we saw so close.Our parents could not understand why we kept gathering around our little swamp instead of running around and playing tag or hide-n-seek. To us, it was a magic land. We observed our little tadpoles grow and and their metamorphosis taught us so much more than biology books we read in school. I remember bombarding adults with a myriad of endless “WHY?” and “HOW” and I just could not have enough of our little ecosystem. As the summer approached and puddles started to dry up, tadpoles faced a problem of not having enough water and losing their home. A small council of kids aged 3 to 9 was gathered where we decided to save our tadpoles. We would pick them up with our bare hands and move them from smaller puddles to the big one. I smile as I remember how we did as I just cant imagine touching tadpoles now but back then they were not some slippery yacky creatures ready to turn Into frogs. Back then they were our friends and I remember that sense of responsibility that urged us to help them. It also proved to be a great team building activity(should pitch that to corporates) as it united not only our group of young naturalists but also our parents that were watching us with mixed feelings of shock and pride.Thanks to our efforts quite a few tadpoles turned Into frogs later in the summer. In the evening we could hear our frogs sing – may be they were thanking us or may be they were just happy to share their little eco system with us, kids. Just a bunch of little children with a Big idea that they can make a difference. ———-So many of us grow up and lose hope. We let our inner child die and forget to dream. We feel disconnected from the place we live in. But the truth is we still CAN make a difference. We just need to remember that adventurous loving child each and every one of us once was and let our old childhood stories inspire new adventures.